Company profile: Switcher
Headquarters: Le Mont sur Lausanne
Country: Switzerland
Founded in: 1981
Total points of sale in Europe: 800
Owned by: Robin Cornelius is the owner of the majority of shares of the company.
Name of CEO: Antonio Rubino
Product description: Switcher ownes the brands: -Switcher -Whale They have collectiones in the following sectors: - Basic - Sports - Outdoor - Junior
Countries of production: China (People's Republic of China), India, Turkey, Portugal, Romania
General remark: n.a.
Switcher
Chemin du Petit Flon, 29
1052 Le Mont sur Lausanne
info(at)switcher.com
Comment from CCC and proposal for action
Switcher stands out as being unique on the competitive world-wide clothing market for its “Respect Inside” initiative. On the website www.respect-inside.org it is possible to see the production process of a Switcher product. This description is comprehensive and highly detailed. Switcher thoroughly supports its suppliers in building an internal self-monitoring system. Moreover, Switcher has taken over part of the costs of implementation. In order to reliably verify the self-monitoring, Switcher joined Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) in 2007. The company’s strategic focus on corporate responsibility, the orientation toward basic products, and its relatively few suppliers (a total of 43 direct suppliers, subcontractors and agents) facilitate Switcher’s efforts to produce ecologically and fair. Even when Switcher is working on expanding its organic-cotton offerings, it is unfortunate that currently the proportion is relatively small in comparison to its entire product line.
Take action: Express your appreciation to the sales personnel about Switcher’s environmental and social commitment.
The following evaluation of the company’s performance in terms of transparency, code implementation and monitoring of labour standards is based on the company’s response to the questionnaire from the CCC and on an additional desk study conducted by the CCC in 2007. In the section “Recent developments” you can find additional information gathered after 2007.
Transparency
Switcher has responded to the CCC questionnaire and has provided detailed additional documents and information. The company works with civil society on corporate accountability issues and is in regular dialogue with NGOs and/or trade unions, including the CCC. Some information is disclosed about turnover and profits. The salary of the CEO is known. Information is given about producer countries and the structure of the supply chain. The country of assembly is mentioned on the label. A sustainability report is publicly available but it does not meet international reporting standards (GRI). Switcher provides results of factory audits but no information about verification activities. The company does not disclose general targets for future monitoring activities.
Formal commitment to labour standards
Switcher has adopted a code of conduct that includes a reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and requires compliance with all relevant local labour laws, but does not indicate that where local and international standards are at variance the higher standard should prevail. The company is formally committed to respecting minimum labour standards in all workplaces where their products are made, in accordance with ILO Core Conventions. These include the right to organise and bargain collectively and prohibit child labour, discrimination, and forced labour. Switcher is a member of a MSI and its code of conduct applies to all workers in the garment factories affected by labour practices for which the company has some measure of responsibility. The code of conduct includes measures to implement the code and monitor labour conditions in the facilities used. Beyond the ILO Core Conventions, the company is committed to workers’ right to earn a living wage (i.e. a wage for standard working hours that meets the basic needs of workers and their families and provides some discretionary income). Overtime is stipulated to be occasional only and is paid at a premium rate The company’s code calls for a safe and hygienic environment for the workers who produce its garments and/or sportswear. The company explicitly requires that all workers receive a regular employment contract.
Beyond the labour standards mentioned above, the company code is not precise enough on some specific issues. It does not state its commitment in relation to*:
- The provision of transitional measures that will be in the interest of the child and of her/his family where child labour is found;
- prohibiting the retention by employers of security deposits or identity papers;
Code implementation and purchasing practices
The company is a member of a credible multi-stakeholder initiative (MSI). Switcher implements the code according to the MSI’s principles of implementation, is committed to taking credible steps to improve labour conditions and pays for the monitoring of suppliers. The code of conduct is translated into most of the languages of the countries the company is sourcing from. Switcher has developed an understanding of what constitutes a living wage in each producer country. According to the information available, over 80 percent of the production sites are in countries or zones where freedom of association is guaranteed by law. Switcher takes, to some extent, the impact of its own purchasing practices into account. It has established some procedures which show how to improve planning and prevent excessive overtime.
Monitoring and Verification
As a member of a monitoring project, the company has audited 33 out of 43 suppliers within one year. Switcher could provide evidence of having identified labour rights violations in its supply chain and indications of how they were remedied. Every violation identified is followed by a corrective action plan. Unannounced audits at suppliers and subcontractors are required. The company is a member of the multi-stakeholder initiative Fair Wear Foundation (FWF).
Violations of labour rights and public conflicts
There are no public urgent appeals from CCC calling on Switcher to take responsibility for workers’ rights violations in its supply chain.
Recent developments
Switcher announced in fall 2008 that the company will focus primarily on the reduction of CO2 emissions in the production chain as well as the development of fair trade and organic products in the future.